Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-12
WASHINGTON.
Suit to Test the Question Whether a
Man Has a Right to Make q Con-
tract Against the Public Good.
James W. Hyatt of Connecticut Appointed
to Succeed Conrad n. Jordan as
United States Treasurer.
A TEST CASE.

WASHINGTON, May Ian interesting
suit is soon to be tried before the courts
here which will settle the question
whether or not q man has the right under
tEe law to enter into contract which is
against the public good. There is in
Washington an institution which styles
itself "school of language" This insti-
tuition is conducted on rather unique
principles. The proprietors secure their
teachers from among newly arrived
anigrsnts who are looking for employ
rnent and who are willing to impart the
knowledge of which they are possessed
for very small compensation, usually
about $40 week. The school has been
fortunate in securing the services of
some very brilliant men, graduates of the
European universities, who are anxious
70 get employment. They are invariably
unfamiliar with the laws Of the United
States, and in consequence are ready to
enter into contract which the proprle-
tors have prepared. This contract is all
onesided. 1t binds the employe but IS
not binding in the least upon the employ
er. Its terms are, In brief, that the
teacher contracts TO teach in the school
for certain term, generally one year, Tor
which he Is to receive a stated salary SO
long as the school chooses to employ him.
He also binds himself not to teach IN
Washington for two years after the eXpl-
ration of his term OF employment.
One of these teachers became tired of his
bonds and about year Sg0 notified the
school that he did not care to continue
the arrangement. Tnls was during the
"duIl season." No objection was raised
oil
lowed to go on his way. He is an ener-
getic man and good teacher, and in
consequence he very soon had a thriving
school of his own, which he still con
ducts, to the satisfaction of all con-
cerned except the proprietors of the orig
inaI school. These people have learned
of the success of their former employe,
and have begun suit in the
equity court to restrain him from
earning his living in any of the
cities named in his contract. There are
several of them. Issue will be Joined at
an carly day, and the attorneys for the
teacher are confident that the contract
will not hold water. 1t is thought that
the case may have an important bearing
on eX-emplOyes of the executive depart
ments. Under an act of Congress-, men
who are employed in the departments
as attorneys for claimants, after they
leave the employ of the government until
they shall have been out for two years.
This in law causes a great deal of dis
satisfaction, and its claimed that it is IN
constitutional. An attempt will PROBABLY
be made to secure s ruling on this point
during the hearing Of the case Of the
school VS.. the teacher.
TREASURER JORDAN'S SUCCESSOR,
WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE President
to-day appointed james w. Hyatt of
Connecticut to be Treasurer of the
United States to succeed Conrad n. JOr-
dan, resigned.
WHITE SNAKE.
Special to the Gazette.
WASHINGTON, May 11.-Adam Fore
paugh, the Snowman, secured another
attraction during his recent visit to this
city. Last year a gentlemen connected
with one of the Baltimore papers, while
on the eastern shore of Maryland, secured
a perfectly white snake from man who
had captured it alive. This gentleman
brought it to Washington, and showed it
to Professor Baird Of, the Smithsonian
Institution, who was unable to tell to
what species it belonged. Nothing
like it has ever been seen before by
the government n8turalists, but as
they had no facilities for the ed
ucation of snakes it was not pur
chased for the government. The owner
waited until the circus season opened and
then took the reptile to FOrepaGgh. He
offered $50 for it and his bid was accept
Ell at once. It will probably appear on
the bills as 8 wonderful capture from Eess
ter Island or some other equally unknown
locality. It is doubtless a blacksnake
which failed to absorb the necessary
amount of pigment to give it It's proper
hue while Matching. 1t will prove an at
traction to lovers of the curious or the
Snowman would not have been so eager
to purchase.
TEXAS PENSIONS.
Special to the Gazette.
WAsHINGToN, May 1.-THE following
Texas pensions were issued to-day:
Thomas Cooper, Ranger; VinCiDent A.
Cunningham, Honey Grove; Shepard G.
Coyle, Sulphur Springs; Charles Biggers
Daggett, Fort Worth; Jacob Dearend,
Cherry Springs; Eli V. Dale, Seguin;
Richard Coleman, Montague.
THE CASE OF THE MEXICAN OFFICERS.
WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE Depart
ment of State has not been officially in
formed of the intention Of the Mexican
authorities to execute three Mexican
army officers for illegally crossing the
border at Nogales, and the publication to
that effect caused considerable surprise,
as the penalty is regarded as entirely dis
proportionste to the offense, still in the
absence of any official information on the
subject the department can take no
action looking to Intervention in favor of
the condemned officers. The petitions
referred to in this mornings dispatches
have not reached Washington.
THE MAXWELL LAND GRANT CASE.
WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE Secretary
of the Interior has transmitted to the
Acknowledgement the letter of Acting
Commissioner Stockslager recommending
that a motion for rtargument be filed in
the United States court in the Maxwell
Immigrant case, with request that the
recommendation of the Acting Commits
sioner be carried out. 1t is understood
that General B. f. Butler will be employ
ed on the case.
INTERVENING TO SAVE THE MEXICAN